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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24954169">Star Gazing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_makeing_it_gay_97/pseuds/just_makeing_it_gay_97'>just_makeing_it_gay_97</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jackson [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Last of Us</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cute, F/F, Family, Family Feels, Father Figures, Fluff, Stargazing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:28:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24954169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_makeing_it_gay_97/pseuds/just_makeing_it_gay_97</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Joel knew there were names for star signs, but he couldn't remember them all. Ellie decided it's their job to rename some.</p><p>Ellie &amp; Joel father-daughter fluff, with some future Ellie/Dina, because they're cute. Fluff!</p><p>Jackson, Part 5. No tLoU2 spoilers!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us), Ellie &amp; Joel (The Last of Us)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jackson [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801531</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>136</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Star Gazing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was very cute to write, I am soft for these characters!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a hot day in Jackson, townspeople were sweating, their days much more difficult due to the extreme heat. Even the infected seemed to lay off them for a bit, the heat doing the opposite of wonders for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bright side of the sweltering heat? The sky was always clear the night after. Ellie found this out after such a day of heaving horse food and bedding to and from the stables. She'd leant her head back, looking at the sky for a moment of peace long after the sun had set.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stars… they blew her away. She found herself sat on the roof of her small home, leaning back and watching planets and old satellites float aimlessly by. She knew some of those planets were already gone, exploding throughout time and space, but they were beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had to show someone, </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to in fact. That night she'd knocked on Joel's door. He slammed it open, fearful for her intensity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ellie! Are you alright? What's wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"C'mon, c'mon!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went with her, stopping in the middle of his garden as she pointed up. He let out a sigh, of both relief and awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sky was beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's… the sky?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah! It's fuckin' amazing!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went to sarcastically retort, but the look of pure </span>
  <em>
    <span>glee</span>
  </em>
  <span> in her eyes as she stared at the sky?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, how could anyone ruin that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's pretty amazin', kiddo."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flopped on the grass, patting her side. Despite the fact Joel was </span>
  <em>
    <span>exhausted</span>
  </em>
  <span>, having been riding all day to survey all the new lookouts, he sat with a huff, his back reminding him of his age as he lay next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh, it is kinda nice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Look, that one looks like a dog!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He squinted at the sky, failing to see anything which even resembled the mentioned creature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't let Buckley hear you say that he won't let you give belly rubs again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie snorted, smacking his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up, that boy loves my belly scratches."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled, hands resting on his stomach while Ellie leant with her hands behind her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you really not see it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I ah, I never really got into the whole stars thing. But there's apparently a thing about them telling your future?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie gasped, sitting up with her jaw slack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck off. There are future telling signs?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joel snorted and moved his hands behind his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yup, they're meant to tell you your future or somethin'. I was never into it though, more Sarah's… ah, Sarah's gig, than mine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie lay on her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So what do they do? How can they tell the future?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joel shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gosh, I don't know. From your birth month or somethin', I think I was a… Scorpio? Or somethin'."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You were a scorpion? That's awesome. What are the others?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't… I don't know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie groaned and flopped like a starfish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, one thing for it. We gotta make our own."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joel shut his eyes, grinning despite himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright. First things first, what do you see?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie frowned, staring hard at the stars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ermmm… a knife! Or is it a switchblade? Ah well, right there, you see it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joel laughs and squints, eventually seeing the shape she described.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, yeah I see it. Look there- a… star?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, har har."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No- no, I'm bein' serious. Look, five sides and all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squints, laughing a moment later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, alright, smart ass. Okay okay… look, an arrow!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, I see it. See anything else?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie sat up, leaning on her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Holy. Shit. Joel, do you see the dinosaur?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He absolutely does not, but he keeps that thought to himself, taking a gamble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Erm, by the arrowhead?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yea! And- oh my fuck, Joel! Giraffe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughs, actually seeing what could be a long neck with a dumb smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, yeah kiddo. I see it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm such a T-Rex, scorpion or not, you're a Giraffe in my book."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She held up her hand, ready for a fist bump. He gave her a faux judging look, knocking his knuckles against hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, Giraffe crew here I come."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hell yes. The T-Rex will keep you safe, loyal Giraffe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two sit in silence, staring at the sky until Joel breaks their tranquillity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know, there's meant to be twelve of these things. Some even think there's thirteen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> that! I'm good to stick with five."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They make eye contact for a moment before falling into a bout of laughter.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Two years later, Ellie finds herself in a similar position, sat on the roof of her small home. Her friend, who she felt more for than she'd willingly like to admit, by her side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, the stars mean things?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dina lay next to her on the blanket, shuffling a little closer despite the heat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, me and Joel named some, if you wanna hear them?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other woman glanced at Ellie's profile, smiling to herself at the smile on her face. She adored the stars and space, so seeing her this open was lovely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There's a pause, and Ellie touches her hand against Dina's, which the other girl took as a chance to intertwine their fingers together. Ellie was thankful it was dark to hide her blush and raised their joined hands to the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can kinda see it, but the… Giraffe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dina narrowed her eyes, focusing on where the other girl was pointing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Erm… kinda?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, that's Joel's. I'm the, erhum, the ah, dinosaur?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dina snorted, moving their hands to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes! Yes, I see it. Let me guess, you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie laughed, turning her head to raise shocked eyebrows at her 'friend'.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck you! How'd you know?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dina deadpanned her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ellie, we wouldn't be best friends if I didn't immediately know that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The freckled girl laughed, falling onto her back, ignoring the spike of guilt which struck her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, that's true."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Anyway, Dino girl. What am I?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie nudged her shoulder, they were still holding hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You mean… other than amazing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dina snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, gay. C'mon, what would I be?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie barked a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Says you, bi. Anyway, I reckon you'd be…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dina gasped, pointing at the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dude, snowball!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie followed their hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"... What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Snowball! Right there, you see it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie had to admit, there's a shape which is too odd to be a ball, but just lumpy enough to look like it's made of snow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I see it. You're a snowball."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And you're my T-Rex. What a great team we'll make."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> make, idiot."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dick!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They laugh, looking at the sky together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is nice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is, thank you for showing me. Let's do this again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie smiled, squeezing her hand tighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, any time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spent the night together, watching the sky until returning to Ellie's bed, platonically, for now.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let me know what you thought! Have a nice day (:</p></blockquote></div></div>
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